2009 Alpine Garden at Mt. Washington - LOOK DOWN, not up

This is a view of the Alpine Garden taken from just in front of Huntington Ravine, looking South. The Alpine Garden trail is a thin smudge running from the top of the ravine to the far left of the picture. The buildings on the peak of Mt. Washington can be seen at the top, left of the picture.

Alpine Goldenrod Solidago cutleri This can be found almost everywhere in the alpine zone. Alpine goldenrod is related to the goldenrod that grows in the meadows, pastures, and abandoned areas throughout North America. As the goldenrod migrated into the alpine zone, in order to survive in the harsh alpine climate, it altered into a plant that is much smaller and more compact. The plant can also be found sheltered under and around the rocks

Balsam Fir Albies Balsamea The balsam fir is a native North American fir and grows well in colder climates. Normally it grows to a height of 45 to 65 feet tall. Trees in the alpine zone are much smaller and more compact.

BIGELOW SEDGE Carex bigolowii This sedge, the highland rush and some other grass-like growth form much of the “grass” that grows throughout the alpine zone. Bigelow sedge is the main growth in many of the meadows found on Mt. Washington and other mountains in the Presidential Range. Jacob Bigelow first identified the sedge as different from other sedges. For this he received the honor of having it named after him. Features distinguishing members of the sedge family from grasses or rushes are that members of the sedge family have triangular stems (with occasional exceptions), and their leaves are spirally arranged in three ranks (grasses have alternate leaves forming two ranks).

CLUB MOSS Lycopodium selago These mosses are appropriately named. They look like small clubs growing out of the ground, or in many cases, out of mats from other flowers. They stand only a few inches tall, but are very obvious as they are the only vegetative things that grow upright. This is a true alpine plant, only in most of the northern mountains. It grows in little tufts and is only about 3 inches tall. This example is growing out from a diapensia mat.

Diapensia Diapensia Lapponica Diapensia is a small evergreen and perennial shrub. It grows only in the alpine zone. The leaves are blunt, leathery and thick. They form dense rosettes which can be very easily mistaken for a moss. In this pictures the flowers have already bloomed, leaving only the stalks

Diapensia Diapensia Lapponica Diapensia is a small evergreen and perennial shrub. It grows only in the alpine zone. The leaves are blunt, leathery and thick. They form dense rosettes which can be very easily mistaken for a moss. In this pictures the flowers have already bloomed, leaving only the stalks

Alpine Goldenrod Solidago cutleri This can be found almost everywhere in the alpine zone. Alpine goldenrod is related to the goldenrod that grows in the meadows, pastures, and abandoned areas throughout North America. As the goldenrod migrated into the alpine zone, in order to survive in the harsh alpine climate, it altered into a plant that is much smaller and more compact. The plant can also be found sheltered under and around the rocks. Three toothed Cinquefoil Sibbaldiopsis (Potentilla) tridentate This plant, a member of the Rose family, currently is blooming throughout the alpine zone. It brings splashes of white to the landscape. The flowers are small, white with light red coloring in the stamen. The stems of the cinquefoil grow underground thus keeping the plant away from the harsh winter winds.

Mountain Sandwort Arenaria groenlandica The Latin name of this plant gives away its point of origin – the Arctic Circle. It flowers throughout the summer season. The flowers are small white flowers with 5 petals

Three forked or Highland Rush Juncus trifidus Highland Rush, Bigelow sedge and other grass-like growth compose most of the “grass” that can be seen in the alpine zone. Outside of the alpine zone, this rush is a “weed”. Within the zone, it grows in clumps. It can be seen almost anywhere

THREE TOOTHED CINQUEFOIL Sibbaldiopsis (Potentilla) tridentata This plant, a member of the Rose family, brings splashes of white to the landscape. The flowers are small, white with light red coloring in the stamen., as can be seen in the picture. The leaves can also been seen, and give this plant its popular name. The stems of the cinquefoil grow underground thus keeping the plant away from the harsh winter winds. From Wikipedia: Sibbaldiopsis is a genus in the plant family Rosaceae. (formerly in Potentilla), the Three-toothed Cinquefoil is the single representative of this genus. Systemic phylogenetic work has placed S. tridentata closer to Aphanes and Sibbaldia than to Potentilla (Erikkson et al. 2003). S. tridentata is commonly found in eastern Canada and parts of Greenland, south into the northeastern US, with disjunct populations extending down the Appalachian mountains. The southernmost known populations are located in Georgia and North Carolina, and occupy high-elevation rock outcrops and grassy balds (USDA 2007). S.tridentata is a short (0.3–3 dm tall) woody perennial. It has leaves with 3 palmately arranged leaflets approximately 1–4 cm long which are toothed at the apex (typically three teeth). The leaves are retained in winter, but often with a red coloring. Flowers are small and white, radial, and arranged in a compound bracteate cymbe. The individual flowers resemble flowers from the genus Potentilla (Radford et al. 1968). S. tridentata is listed as endangered in 5 US states (USDA 2007).

Three toothed Cinquefoil Sibbaldiopsis (Potentilla) tridentate This plant, a member of the Rose family, currently is blooming throughout the alpine zone. It brings splashes of white to the landscape. The flowers are small, white with light red coloring in the stamen. The stems of the cinquefoil grow underground thus keeping the plant away from the harsh winter winds.